Snow-encrusted “snow ghost” trees on a mountainside under a blue sky, Canada

Itinerary

A Week Skiing in the Canadian Rockies

Inspiration for your next adventure

The greatest lift-served vertical in North America, a mountaintop lunch above the Purcells and deep, dry powder at two mountains that still feel like ski towns. A week of serious skiing in British Columbia.

Who this is for

Strong skiers who want big terrain and deep snow without the scene of a mega-resort. You care more about steeps, glades and powder than about après, though you will not say no to a good dinner and a hot tub at the end of the day.

The shape of the trip

Where you sleep, and the rhythm of the days

Golden, 3 nights · Revelstoke, 4

Ski days back to back, with one rest or storm day built in, and a short drive over Rogers Pass in the middle. The splurge is a day of cat skiing or heli-skiing out of Revelstoke, on terrain no lift reaches.

Where to go and what to eat

The places

01 · 3 nights
Kicking Horse, Golden
Fly into Calgary and drive about three hours west through Banff National Park to Golden. Kicking Horse is known for its steep chutes and bowls and for its light, dry snow. A single gondola takes you up more than a thousand meters to the top of the mountain, where you can have lunch at Eagle's Eye, billed as Canada's highest restaurant at 7,700 feet, with a view across the Rockies and the Purcells.
02 · 4 nights
Revelstoke
About two hours west over Rogers Pass, Revelstoke Mountain Resort has the greatest lift-served vertical in North America, 1,713 meters. The runs are long, the tree skiing is excellent, and the town is a real one, with good restaurants and a main street that has nothing to do with skiing. Give one day to cat skiing or heli-skiing in the Selkirk or Monashee Mountains, with a guide and untracked snow.
03
Getting around
The Trans-Canada Highway over Rogers Pass is beautiful and can close for avalanche control, sometimes for hours and occasionally most of a day. Winter tires are required on most BC highways from October 1 to March 31, and through April 30 on mountain passes like this one, and we build in time for weather. You can fly home from Kelowna, about two and a half hours from Revelstoke, instead of driving back to Calgary.

My take on Revelstoke & Golden, BC

British Columbia is for when you want serious mountain scale without the massive crowds or pretense, diving straight into the pure magic of the Powder Highway. Base yourself in places like Golden to experience Kicking Horse—hands down your all-time favorite ski resort. There are never any lines, the terrain is massive, and you can tackle a single epic ski route that takes up to a staggering forty minutes to get all the way down.

The town itself is small and perfect, filled with the best people. After a full day of charging hard on the mountain, you can head over to soak in Radium Hot Springs, or drop by the wolf sanctuary if you're making the scenic drive over to Revelstoke. When you want to level up, you can head into the legendary backcountry of Rogers Pass—or, if you want to lean into the ultimate splurge, go full bougie and book a heli-skiing trip to drop into untouched powder bowls by chopper.

My take

Worth it, and what to skip

Worth it

A guided powder day. Cat skiing or heli-skiing is the reason serious skiers come to this part of BC.
The Eagle's Eye lunch. It is the best view of the trip, and you ski to the door.
Mid-January to early March. The snowpack is deep and the days are getting longer.

Skip it

Underestimating the terrain. Both mountains have a lot of expert and in-bounds avalanche terrain. A guide or a lesson on day one is a good idea.
Driving Rogers Pass at night in a storm. Plan the transfer for daylight, and check the road report before you go.